Lydall Invests in New Fine Fiber Meltblown Production Line to Meet Rising Global Face Mask Demand
June 02 2020 - 2:41PM
Lydall, Inc. (NYSE: LDL), a leading manufacturer of value-added
engineered materials and specialty filtration solutions that
promote a cleaner, safer and quieter world, today announced an
investment in an additional fine fiber meltblown asset in response
to the exponential increase in domestic and global demand of
specialty filtration media for face masks. This new production line
will enable Lydall – one of the few American manufacturers capable
of producing high-quality fine fiber meltblown filtration media for
N95, surgical and medical face masks – to significantly increase
its supply and help alleviate the shortage of meltblown materials,
both in the U.S. and internationally.
“In the wake of COVID-19, the need for the filtration media that
makes face masks effective has increased dramatically, so much so
that it is now being called the ‘golden fleece,’” Sara A.
Greenstein, President and CEO of Lydall, said. “As one of the only
companies in North America and Europe with the technical expertise,
supplier relationships and access to the right machines to produce
this filtration media, we feel great responsibility to do
everything within our power to increase our output, support
domestic supply chains and contribute to the global fight against
COVID-19. This investment is one example of Lydall’s commitment to
do just that.”
The new asset will complement Lydall’s existing global meltblown
capacity and is estimated to supply the filtration media for one
billion face masks per year, almost a third of the 3.5 billion that
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has projected as
necessary to protect healthcare workers. Lydall expects commercial
production to begin in its Rochester, New Hampshire facility in the
fourth quarter of 2020 and plans to hire up to 15 additional
employees to support the increase in production.
A technical market leader in the creation of specialty
filtration solutions for nearly 100 years, Lydall has quickly
pivoted to address the worldwide surge in demand for PPE and other
products that support frontline workers and their patients. In
addition to manufacturing the critical filtration efficiency layers
for N95 respirator masks, ASTM 1, 2, 3 medical masks, and
general-purpose masks, Lydall also supplies other support materials
for face masks, including comfort layers, protective layers and
ties straps.
“Being a trustworthy business partner is a top priority at
Lydall. It is always our goal to provide our customers with a
consistent supply of high-quality, specialty products and superior
customer service,” Ashish Diwanji, incoming President of Lydall
Performance Materials, added. “As the principal supplier of
meltblown filtration media to many of the U.S.’s largest face mask
producers, we are currently operating at full capacity, with our
extraordinarily dedicated team running our existing production
lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are pleased that the
new installation of this asset will enable us to substantially
increase our output of this critically-needed product.”
The company has also ramped up production of other much-needed
filtration products like needlepunch felt for hospital gowns,
medical wipes and absorbent bed pads. In preparation for the U.S.
economy’s reopening, Lydall’s innovation team is advancing its
filtration science to develop new, high-efficiency, HEPA-rated
filtration media to improve the air quality of public spaces,
including office buildings, shopping centers, hospitals and
airports.
With a global footprint and 3,300 employees around the world,
Lydall has facilities across the United States, Canada, Europe and
China that are all capable of manufacturing these products and
supporting local supply chains. Beyond PPE, the company offers a
wide portfolio of capabilities and materials that have medical,
governmental and military applications. For more information on
Lydall’s COVID-19-related products, visit
https://lydall.com/covid-19-relief-effort.
About Lydall, Inc.Headquartered in Manchester,
Connecticut with global manufacturing operations, Lydall delivers
value-added engineered materials and specialty filtration solutions
that promote a cleaner, quieter and safer world. We partner with
our customers to develop bespoke, high-performing and efficient
solutions that are adaptable and scalable to meet their needs.
Lydall is a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. For more
information, visit http://www.lydall.com. Lydall® is a registered
trademark of Lydall, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
For further information:
Brendan Moynihan
Vice President, Financial Planning and Investor Relations
Telephone 860-646-1233
Facsimile 860-646-4917
info@lydall.com
www.lydall.com
Lydall (NYSE:LDL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
Lydall (NYSE:LDL)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024